Building a Beretta 96 Limited Gun

[DyNo!]

I shoot a Beretta Elite II with success (Hopefully bumping up to A soon) and I would like to shoot the Limited & Tactical Optics classes in 3-gun at some point.

I'm at somewhat of a disadvantage shooting my Elite II in Limited in 3-gun since I don't have a magazine well, I have to start with a double action pull, and I can't make major in 9mm with that gun.

My solution is to build a Beretta exclusively for Limited 3-gun because I have no intention of dumping $1,500-2,000 on a 2011.

They make magazine wells for Berettas and I'd like to throw one on a Beretta 96 along with an extended magazine and blam - make a Limited gun.

I'd also be able to convert it to be able to turn on the safety while keeping the hammer back for a SA first shot. I'm already fine with my Beretta's trigger and I'd be even more comfortable with one that had set screws (also available).

I'd also be able to maintain familiarity between production in USPSA and limited in 3-gun.

The only downside is I lack the trigger reset of a 2011.

Is there anything wrong with doing this before I sink $581-681 into it at some point?

Used Police Trade in Beretta 96 ($430)

LPA Adjustable Sights ($60)

Trigger with set screws ($40)

Trigger Job - Maybe ($100)

Magazine well ($50)

SA + Safety conversion ($1)

[Beretta Lover]

Ok first off you dont need to worry about shooting major PF in 3 gun.

and the only divisions in 3 gun are:

open (scopes on pistols, comps on pistols, 2 optics on rifles allowed, like a variable scope with a small red dot scope)

tactical irons (essentially any pistol with iron sights, and no comp)rifles without scopes BERETTA 92 is PERECT AS ISSUED

tactical optics (same pistols as above)rifles with one scope BERETTA 92 is PERFECT AS ISSUED

heavey metal (pistols must be 45 ACP and sometimes 1911 only) rifle is 7.62x51

The most popular pistol is a hi cap 9mm, sometimes a 2011, sometimes a Glock, an MP or in our case a Beretta

Magwells are legal, but why would you want one on your elite anyway? I think if you practice your reloads you will find you dont need one

The DA/SA trigger pull isnt going to make a difference, IMO in 3 gun

I would recommend running a fixed novak reara or a stock rear sight before you fool with the LPA adjustable, Its pretty small and slow to pick up. I have tried them before and prefer fixed sights

If I were you Id keep shooting your Beretta as is, or buy another one hust to have an extra

[DyNo!]

Ok first off you dont need to worry about shooting major PF in 3 gun.

Is there not major scoring in 3-gun pistol?

Magwells are legal, but why would you want one on your elite anyway? I think if you practice your reloads you will

find you dont need one

I don't need one but I'll take every advantage I can get.

The DA/SA trigger pull isnt going to make a difference, IMO in 3 gun

I figure for a $1 modification, it shouldn't be a big deal.

If I were you Id keep shooting your Beretta as is, or buy another one hust to have an extra

If there's no major power factor - I'll just get a used 92 and tweak it a bit.

Edited April 6, 2010 by DyNo!

[Y. Koester]

the last 3 gun match I went to I only had one reload. I say shoot a glock or xd, anything that doesn't have a external safety (so you can toss it in the box faster). I would save my money and not waste it on a pistol for 3 gun. Spend the money on the other two guns, the ones that you shoot way more of in a typical 3 gun match.

[BigBore56]

You can spend a lot on a Beretta...which I did...and end up selling it anyway. I took a NIB 96 Vertec and installed a BarSto .40 match barrel $225 later, I sold it and bough a new STI. Could have saved some money if I had started with the 1911 platform from the start.

[Sal1950]

You can spend a lot on a Beretta...which I did...and end up selling it anyway. I took a NIB 96 Vertec and installed a BarSto .40 match barrel $225 later, I sold it and bough a new STI. Could have saved some money if I had started with the 1911 platform from the start.

Quick question for you BigBore, what led you to try replacing the barrel? Reason I ask is that I recently picked up a NIB 96 Brigadier and have been VERY disappointed with it's accuracy. OK up to about 50ft, but after that the groups open up dramatically. Thought about getting a match barrel for it but maybe that would be throwing good money after bad???

TIA

Sal

Edited May 5, 2010 by Sal1950

[Beretta Lover]

before you spend money on a barrel check your loads, run the gun off a bench and try different factory ammo

I had a 96 police trade in that looked like someone had fallen off their motorcycle wearing it and it was a very accurate gun

BTW while Berettas are pretty easy guns to shoot well, they take some getting used to. They have a very slow lock time and follow through is important

[J-Ho]

There are guys who shoot open division with iron sighted pistols. I don't think the Beretta will be a disadvantage unless you are shooting with the top shooters at a major match. Another route might be to go with a Witness Match. You can find them from 4-5 hundred bucks and they can be upgraded as you need.

[Chills1994]

i'm still dabbling shootind USPSA limited at minor power factor because of the FN/CMMG 3 gun match near like Columbia, MO fromlike 2 years ago.

via this very forum I had PM'ed the MD and he told me there was no major/minor scoring aT that match.

so the gears started turning...

I saw a posting by greg cote or greg kote there on the beretta forums. he was selling all sorts of mags. consequently, I bought the mec gar 20 rounders off him. they Already come equipped with a plus 2 basepad. I can also use the same mags in my beretta 96 (the .40 cal version )....but I can only get 15 maybe 16 of the forty cal rounds into them. but at maJor PF I have a problem with hammer bite.

I never did shoot the FN/CMMG 3 gun match, but I still use the 20 rounders for uspsa limted division at minor PF. it sure is lots of fun to shoot most stages without a reload.

I'm thinking that if the OP of this threaD were to poke around the beretta forums classifieds he could find a complete 92 slide for sale. that should be cheaper than buying A whole new slide...plus there are no FFL hassles to put up with.

I can't say anything about a maG well for a 92/96..I never have used one ...yet.

the LPA adjustable rear sights do suck...you would be better off just sticking with what the factory has put on.

[Lee King]

Ok first off you dont need to worry about shooting major PF in 3 gun.

Is there not major scoring in 3-gun pistol?

Magwells are legal, but why would you want one on your elite anyway? I think if you practice your reloads you will

find you dont need one

I don't need one but I'll take every advantage I can get.

The DA/SA trigger pull isnt going to make a difference, IMO in 3 gun

I figure for a $1 modification, it shouldn't be a big deal.

If I were you Id keep shooting your Beretta as is, or buy another one hust to have an extra

If there's no major power factor - I'll just get a used 92 and tweak it a bit.

Most major 3 gun matches are "outlaw" and don't have power factor.

I shoot a lot of USPSA pistol and some 3 gun. My pistol is an STI only because it's what I already have. You have to put the 2 sports in perspective. In USPSA if you run a stage in the 30 second range it is either REALLY hard or you ran it slow and are out of the running. Mag wells and things to shave fractions of seconds are important to smooth reloads etc. But in 3 gun you run a stage with times in the 100s range. How fast you do a pistol reload isn't nearly as important as how well you reload your shotgun, get into a stable rifle position, and shoot accurately.

At least in my experience for what it's worth.

[Sal1950]

before you spend money on a barrel check your loads, run the gun off a bench and try different factory ammo

I had a 96 police trade in that looked like someone had fallen off their motorcycle wearing it and it was a very accurate gun

BTW while Berettas are pretty easy guns to shoot well, they take some getting used to. They have a very slow lock time and follow through is important

Thanks for the input, been there and done that. Not a newbie to shooting, been at it about 45 years now. Haven't shot much factory ammo but have tried about 5

types of jacketed/plated bullets, different powders and charges, all bench rested. Only thing I've found so far that made a big improvement was using Missouri Bullet's

lead swc 170g IDP#2's. I haven't slugged the barrel yet but since these leads are .401 and shoot so much better than any .400 bullet that's what has me looking at the

barrel. May just let her hang out in the safe for a while as punishment and keep watch on the net for someone selling a match barrel cheap enough to sucker me in.

Anyway thanks again for the response,

Sal

Edited May 6, 2010 by Sal1950